


Saturday Night

by taedreamer



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Bad Ending, Harassment, House Party, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Poverty, Prostitution, Rich Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-28 20:34:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21142793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taedreamer/pseuds/taedreamer
Summary: “Hello,” Ten said and the gleam within Taeyong’s eyes was unmistakable.





	Saturday Night

**Author's Note:**

> everyone is over 20 so there shouldn't be any underage warnings
> 
> ive had this sitting in my drafts for like 2 years and i had no idea where i was going with it, but editing it was fun. enjoy!!
> 
> ten: 23  
taeyong: 25  
minhyung: 21  
jaemin: 20  
donghyuck: 20  
sicheng: 22  
yuta: 24  
yukhei: 21  
taeil: 25

The neatly trimmed grass was cold beneath the soft soles of Ten's bare feet, the thin tank top he was wearing slipping down one shoulder and the damp air of the summer night making the fabric warp unpleasantly to his skin. It wasn’t his first choice of attire, but somewhere amongst the endless rooms of sweaty bodies he must have lost the oversized flannel Donghyuck had given him. As he tugged at the hem absentmindedly, wiping sweat and dirt from his brow with his other hand, he realized it was probably for the best. There was usually an overwhelming roar of chirping and humming from the water bugs, but tonight, nothing could be heard over the pounding bass from inside. As he took a deep breath, trying and failing to mute the thrumming in his mind, Ten noticed the car down the drive. His hands were damp from the plastic cup in his hand and instead of watching the car any longer, he decided to down as much as he could in one go. It was strong, and his head pounded slightly after finishing it off.  
  
He took another breath, sounding a little winded from the drink and a lot exhausted from everything else. Reaching up with his damp fingers, Ten carded them through his too long black hair. The strands pulled at his scalp a little too rough and his head protested once again. He watched the headlights continue to approach from down the driveway, each side being framed by rows of freshly cut trees, stood pliant like soldiers, all the way up to Donghyuck's stupidly large house. Estate, Donghyuck would have corrected him begrudgingly. Estate because Donghyuck's family had so much fucking money and families with money got to have giant estates with beautiful tiled artistry adorning the ceilings and grand pianos in every other room. Ten liked to think he wouldn’t die for just an ounce of what the younger had. He would be lying.  
  
Ten’s thoughts rattled him; his muscles were tense again, just as he had finally managed to release them for the first time in weeks. Trying not to dwell, he finished off the last of whatever Sicheng had gotten him earlier. The buzz wasn’t painful this time but it wasn’t near as effective either. Ten crushed the cup in his hand and dropped it on the edge of the drive as the car slowed to a stop a few paces away.

Ten didn’t like to admit that he was bitter about the financial segregation between them all, didn’t like to think about it, really. Donghyuck was spoiled and sheltered and probably the biggest brat Ten had ever met, consequence of having everything he could have ever dreamed of at just the snap of a finger, but Sicheng liked him. Sicheng was like family to Ten, and therefore Donghyuck got to stay. But in all actuality, the boy had been kind enough to give Ten a temporary place to crash when he was evicted a few months back, so he really didn’t have a reason to dislike him.  
  
Even if he really did want to hate him, he knew he couldn’t. Donghyuck was sweet beneath his thick skin and snobbish persona. He was everything Ten thought he wasn't and it just took some time to see it. The boy had managed to worm his way into every single one of their hearts, no matter how much they all wanted to keep their distance. Jaemin was the biggest challenge, of course. He was quick to assume and untrusting and there wasn’t a day that went by where Ten didn’t think about the black eye that had painted Donghyuck’s face like a canvas for a solid month. In Donghyuck’s defense, nobody had warned him about Jaemin’s ridiculous temper, about the way his skin flared like a hot iron and his eyes narrowed through apologies, like flames through cannon smoke. It had been an innocent joke, something Ten couldn’t even remember clearly, although he was fairly certain in was at the expense of their lifestyle, but Minhyung hadn’t found it funny. He was by far the most sensitive, not really suited for the street rat life they led, but he had fallen victim to it long before anyone else. Minhyung’s wide eyes and downturned lip had been enough to land Donghyuck the ugly bruise and leave Sicheng pissed at Jaemin for a week.  
  
Car doors slammed shut, pulling Ten’s thoughtful gaze up from the ants gathering around the crumpled plastic cup. He hadn’t realized he was looking down until now. He heard them before he saw them, their laughter dancing around the open yard and making Ten dizzy. The noise was light and pretty and unfortunately quiet against the muted drone of music leaking out of the numerous windows, but it still made the constricting memories from moments ago dissipate. He was lightheaded from the alcohol and humidity, but still grounded enough not to flinch as fingers were wrapping around his paper thin wrists and sliding up to his shoulders.  
“Hello,” Ten said and the gleam within Taeyong’s eyes was unmistakable.  
“Hello.” And it was Minhyung’s voice that answered, not Taeyong’s, his black hair sweeping the tops of his eyelids in the same tired style it was always in, crooked smile spread across features too suggestive for someone so young. Taeyong shot him a look: I know what you’re thinking; don’t do this tonight. Seemingly unaware, Minhyung smirked at them and decidedly began taking the steps up to the front door two at a time, disappearing through it with Yuta trailing behind him, looking anything but lost in the increasingly chaotic and familiar atmosphere. Ten had been so preoccupied with Minhyung that he hadn’t even noticed the older boy slip out of the car.  
“Have you been waiting long?” Taeyong asked in honest concern, trying to ignore the way Ten’s hands were shaking. There was no mischief in his soft voice, something Ten had been trying to get used to when it was just the two of them, and yet, after all the time that had passed, the sound of it still made his knees weak. Stars shone overhead but the moon did not, and for a brief moment Ten missed the way it would highlight every line of Taeyong’s face; how he would practically be glowing.  
“No.” Ten scrunched his nose as a gnat hovered below it, puckering the skin between his eyebrows. Taeyong was watching him too intensely and he saw the entire exchange. He smiled brightly but finally backed out of the younger’s space, gently tugging on his wrist in offer.  
“Sorry anyways.” Taeyong looked shy for a moment, but it dissipated when Ten’s eyes stayed locked with his.  
“Minhyung seems okay today.” Ten muttered, laughing breathlessly to release the tension in his shoulders. It wasn’t funny and he shook his head before diverting his eyes to the ground once again. “He’s too young to be doing this.”

Taeyong just nodded, knowing deep down that Ten himself was probably years younger than Minhyung when he started. He didn’t want another argument about it though, so he said nothing.  
They left the hum of insects behind, allowing the allure of the party to consume them as it always had. Taeyong was walking backwards through the door, fingers still gripping Ten’s wrist in that reassuring yet persuasive manner that they usually did. The younger boy felt drunker than he actually was with Taeyong smiling at him, looking up through his lashes as they weaved through the mass of bodies. There were probably hundreds of people milling about, drunk out of their minds and doing things they wouldn’t remember come morning, seeing as it was Donghyuck’s party after all.  
Minhyung, Ten noted, was pinned against a wall by Jaemin, who looked like a shadow under the dim lights. Jaemin’s eyes were glued to Minhyung’s face, watching every twitch and every tremble. The boy smiled at them as they passed, looking contempt in a way that Ten wished he always did. The smile didn’t fall as he returned his attention to Jaemin, who was peppering his cheeks and jaw with light kisses while running his hand along the older’s torso. His blinking was slow and Ten wondered if he was high, if Minhyung was already depending on the drugs. Taeyong tightened his grip and Ten diverted his eyes. With the order guiding Ten deeper into the enormous house and countless bodies erupting around them, it was impossible to continue watching the couple across the room.  
“We’ll fix it tomorrow. Let them be happy tonight.”  
The look on Ten’s face as their eyes met showed nothing but fear and uncertainty: the fear that Minhyung would end up just like him; that he would end up worse. Ten used to like the drugs, but he never craved them the way Minhyung was starting to. It was all so foreign and terrifying to him.

Taeyong swallowed down the bitter taste at the back of his throat, not just once, but twice. The feeling was slowly creeping up on him as well, a sudden realization that they really weren't okay anymore.

They breeched the eccentric doorway that Taeyong had been leading them to--just another useless room in the stupidly large house that would never again see as much excitement as it would tonight. There were a few people lounging around on furniture or leaning against walls, mostly couples. Ten noticed the others but didn't bother looking too close, head still swarming with worrying thoughts, eyes still itching to find Minhyung in the other room.

Taeyong was still dragging the younger boy by the wrist and Ten could only let him. Their pace had slowed drastically with the absence of the main party's enthusiasm. Ten was not paying attention, spacing out as he sometimes did, so when Taeyong stopped moving the younger could only shuffle directly into his back.

Taeyong turned around with a small smile on his cheeks, one that was reserved for Ten in his lesser moments. The younger smiled back, distractedly, eyes darting around the older out of curiosity. The door that Taeyong was now reaching out to open was dark with a tarnished gold knob and the image was suddenly bringing the younger back.

“I don’t really want to get fucked up tonight, hyung.” The words were masqueraded by amusement and teasing, although it was obvious the worry that still coated each syllable like syrup. The room they had arrived at was one that Ten had lost himself in a hundred times. Donghyuck could always afford the hard stuff; always got what he paid for, too. Whether it was liquor or drugs, everyone could find something to poison themselves with. Usually Ten would jump at the opportunity to forget the impoverished hell he lived in day to day, to lose himself in the glitter and gold surrounding him. But he knew what Taeyong was doing. He wanted Ten to forget about Minhyung, to forget about the worry and the pain.

Ten couldn’t afford to forget tonight, though. Minhyung looked worse than usual, strung out and tired. If Ten could notice, there was no doubt that Jaemin and Taeyong noticed it, too.

The older’s fingers froze on the knob, his eyes still piercing Ten’s chocolate ones.

“I know. What do you want me to do, though? Minhyung won’t listen to you just as much as you won’t listen to me.” The younger heard the edge in his voice, felt the erupting argument begin to bubble beneath the surface. He didn’t want to fight. He didn’t want to have to worry about Taeyong, too.

He knew how much it bothered him, how much Taeyong hated it. And of course he hated it. Who could possibly be comfortable with the one person they were supposed to never have to share sleeping around just so they could pay the bills? Jaemin pretended he didn’t care, that it was just Minhyung’s job, but everyone knew he was just as intensely repulsed by the idea as Taeyong. Ten didn’t blame them, but it was an easy way to make money; an easy habit to fall back into when the going got rough.

“I’m sorry.” That was all Ten could think to say. Taeyong was already immune to any excuse that the younger could offer up.

The other boy just huffed, fingers still locked around Ten’s wrist. The smaller boy knew they wouldn’t ever squeeze too tight, knew Taeyong could never hurt him, but the worry always settled deep in his gut when they had this conversation; the worry that Taeyong might get tired of having to share him.

“We can deal with it later. This, and the Minhyung thing. Now, though, I want a drink.”

He finally turned the knob and pushed the door open, just enough to allow the two to squeeze through. The lights had been dim in the main rooms, to keep the ambiance, Ten had assumed. But this room was practically shrouded in darkness, just as it always was.

There were a few blue lights illuminating the small bar in the back. There was never actually a bartender in the room, Donghyuck allowing anyone to take what they want without even batting an eye. There were a few ceiling lights, producing a muted orange glow instead of the artificial looking white they were probably meant to.

Ten was following the older blindly, knowing where he was going without having to think about it. Instead, he looked around at the mostly vacant couches and love seats, wondering who all was already here. He knew Minhyung and Jaemin were currently occupied, but it was a Saturday night. That meant the nine of them would be holed up in here until the ridiculous hours of the morning, either high as kites or wasted out of their minds, except maybe Taeil or Donghyuck. The oldest and the youngest both had a habit of keeping some semblance of control over themselves, but that was hit and miss at best.

Looking up, Ten saw that Taeil and Yukhei were slouched unimpressively on one of the larger couches in the room, the one draped in purple velvet and lined with gold plated fixtures on the arms. They looked as though they didn’t belong, which they didn’t, but Ten had seen them there enough times to not ruffle his eyebrows and wrap his arms around himself in embarrassment. None of them belonged, except for Donghyuck, and it was only recently that Ten had learned to ignore the nagging ache in his gut telling him to run away.

Sicheng was in the back of the room, pushed up against a wall with Yuta’s hands on his shoulders and lips on his neck; nothing new. It was erotic and Ten glanced too long like he always did, his best friend throwing him a wink when he caught him staring. Instead of flushing, though, Ten blew the boy an exaggerated kiss. Sicheng snorted and the out of place noise caught Yuta’s attention, causing him to pull back and glance behind him.

“Fuck off.” The younger decidedly blew the boy a kiss as well. Yuta only could roll his eyes before turning back to Sicheng.

The exchange made him feel lighter, less doomed than before, and he found himself melting into the plush couch Taeyong led him to. It wasn’t as nice, nor near as expensive, as the one that Yukhei was currently spilling cheap beer all over, but it was where they usually sat and Ten liked it. It felt familiar, even though something so nice should never feel familiar to Ten. Nonetheless, he allowed himself to throw his bare feet up and onto the cushions while Taeyong stepped over to the bar to get himself, and probably the younger as well, something to drink.

He closed his eyes and sighed, hearing and feeling the thrum of base throughout the entire house.

“You look like shit.” Yukhei. Always one to point out the obvious. Ten kept his eyes closed but laughed through his nose to let the younger know that he heard him. Yukhei just sighed and turned his attention back to Taeil, who seemed uncharacteristically out-of-it. Ten took a second to open his eyes and glance at his hyung before shutting them quickly once again. He wondered what Taeil was on and, more specifically, what the fuck made him decide he wanted to get trashed. The night was going to be long, in more ways than one.

Suddenly, his legs were being swept up and tossed off of the couch in one fluid motion, causing Ten to squeal and rush to catch himself. Luckily he did, his wide eyes snapping up just in time to see Taeyong’s stupid, cheeky smile as he plopped down where the younger’s feet had been only seconds ago. He was holding a beer in one hand, slowly raising it to his lips as he got comfortable, and a glass of something bitter and amber in the other. Ten regained his balance quickly, ignoring Yukhei’s loud snickering, and suddenly realized that the second drink was intended for him.

“Ten?” Taeyong swallowed sharply and called out to the boy, gesturing to the drink in his hand.

Ten didn’t want to fight; he really didn’t want to fight. So he smiled as if it was fine, knowing Taeyong would see right through it, and snatched the glass out of the older’s fingers before he could change his mind.

He took it as if it was a shot, all in one go, head back and eyes closed. He knew Taeyong was staring at him, probably Yukhei and maybe even Taeil, depending on how coherent the boy was.

“Thanks.” That’s all Ten said, voice flat, as he gave the empty glass back to Taeyong. Yukhei snorted, once again, probably just a little too drunk to bother with anything else. The older boy set the empty glass on a nearby table and sighed. Ten just tucked his legs up underneath himself, his toes cold without socks.

That atmosphere was quickly growing cold, despite the drunken passion radiating from Sicheng and Yuta in the back of the room. Yukhei’s giggling and snickering quieted until in was completely snuffed out, and Taeil returned to his still and silent state, eyes red-rimmed and glossy. Ten avoided Taeyong’s gaze, even though he could clearly feel it on his skin, pricking him like an intrusive needle, instead choosing to wait out the minutes until Donghyuck or Minhyung and Jaemin arrived. He knew Ignoring Taeyong was just as detrimental as fighting with him, knew Taeyong would be shitfaced within the hour if they continued on like this, but he kept his eyes down and his arms in his own lap anyway.

It was only a couple of long, excruciating moments before the antique door was forced open, screeching all the way. Ten didn’t want to glance behind himself and seem too desperate for a distraction, but he could immediately pick up on the two pairs of stumbling footsteps and shushed whispers that echoed throughout the tiny room.

Yukhei gratefully stood up, nearly skipping over toward Minhyung and Jaemin in order to escape the tension. Because of this, Ten allowed himself to sneak a glance over the back of the couch.

“Minhyung! What took you so long, man?" The boy sounded overly youthful under the influence, something none of them could quite get over yet, and Minhyung's eyebrows shot up as his shy smile turned into a grin.

“Jaemin.”

Yukhei was giggling again, Jaemin joining him and Minhyung himself barely paying attention. Instead his dark eyes were roaming somewhere in the direction of Sicheng and Yuta. Ten snorted.

Suddenly all pairs of eyes were plastered on the thin man, save the couple still up against the wall and maybe Taeil. He ignored the heated stare on the back of his neck, one that was distinctly belonging to Taeyong, and smiled softly at Minhyung, knowing the younger boy would allow it to fly right over his head. Ten didn't think the boy was that clueless, but he guessed it was self-preservation. He had been there once; still was sometimes.

“Jaemin needs to learn to keep his hands to himself." Taeyong sounded amused, although he was noticeably tense when Ten glanced at him. Luckily, the icebreaker worked, and as the boys all began to settle around the room, Ten pondered on when they started needing icebreakers in the first place.

"I could say the same fucking thing about you, hyung." The last syllable was enunciated with a cocky lilt that gave Ten an embarrassed feeling in his chest and a splash of color on the usual pallor of his cheeks.

“That’s fair, hyung, and we all know it.” Yukhei was the first to speak and laughed once again at the implied shenanigans that Taeyong and Ten found themselves partaking in more often than not. Minhyung followed, eyes lidded and happy, curved into hopeful little moons. Ten stared too long, and despite the laughter radiating around the group of boys, there was an obvious difference in the air. They all felt it.

At one point, Jaemin stood and grabbed an armful of beer for everyone, knowing full well that Ten and Taeil didn’t prefer it, just not caring. As he returned to his seat, he dropped a can in each person’s lap and kept the remaining three for himself. The night must have been tearing at him much more than he was letting on.

Donghyuck stopped by for a moment, acting as the proper host and ignoring the mess that the eight boys had been making, only to apologize and leave quickly once again. Nobody really minded the absence, although a distraction from Ten’s swirling mind would have been welcomed. Donghyuck could be a great distraction, especially if he managed to say something particularly snobbish and piss Jaemin off.

Yuta and Sicheng must have grown tired because even they found themselves crowding onto the couches, trying to catch a taste of the conversation and join in. There was little to work with, but that had never mattered to Sicheng. He was bubbly and outgoing, first in line, first to speak, first to do pretty much anything. The language barrier had been hard once upon a time, but years of practice had the boy practically fluent. Everyone loved him and nobody could ignore him. So even without Donghyuck there to make a scene, Ten found himself ignoring the jittery shake of Minhyung’s hands and the kicked-puppy expression in Taeyong’s eyes.

“What the hell is he on right now?” Sicheng snorted while gesturing to Taeil, who was staring right passed the his head. Yukhei turned away from whatever conversation he was having with Taeyong in order to glance at the usually composed leader of the bunch as he sat, practically helpless. There was an amused smile on his flushed cheeks as he pat his friend’s leg and turned to reply to Sicheng.

“Honestly? No idea. Donghyuck gave it to him before I even got here. He said it was totally safe but that Taeil was just going to be out of it for a while.”

“Taeil-hyung!” The shout came from Ten, who had been listening to Sicheng and Yukhei’s conversation intently. Said man looked startled by the noise, although rather than flinching like everyone else, he looked at Ten questioningly before blinking twice and returning his gaze to some fixed point above Sicheng’s head.

Ten sighed. “Yep, totally safe.”

Yukhei laughed before standing up and moving somewhere towards the bar, but Yukhei pretty much laughed at everything. Sicheng let out a little huff but it wasn’t convincing. Rather than touching on the subject further, however, he just turned to Yuta and began talking about the new restaurant opening down the street from their small apartment.

Jaemin, who had been glaring at Ten since his little outburst, focussed on their conversation as well, adding little pieces of information and commentary here or there. Minhyung didn’t bother, giggling at everything they said, whether it was funny or not. Ten felt ill.

Yukhei returned only to leave again a few moments later. “I’m going to drag Donghyuck’s ass back here,” he’d said.

As the heavy door squeaked shut behind him, Taeyong took the opportunity to corner Ten.

“I thought we said we wouldn’t have this fight tonight.” Taeyong was against his ear and the warmth from his breath made hairs stand up on Ten’s neck. If anything, his stomach felt even more uneasy.

“You said that, not me.” Despite how quiet he tried to be, Yuta’s eyes still flickered over toward the two. Realization crossed his clean features and, without a single word, he understood the state that the lovers were currently in. Ten watched the older’s eyes flash between the two before his attention was quickly yanked away by Sicheng laughing loudly and pulling on his arm.

Ten sighed deeply, knowing that not only would he have to reconcile with Taeyong and have the dreaded conversation with Minhyung, but now he would have to reassure the rest of his friends that he was fine. The boy began to wonder when everything had gotten so hard.

The door opening once again cut off the dying conversation around the room, pulling six gazes toward the noise.

“Okay, okay, I’m staying!” Donghyuck was laughing as Yukhei pushed him into the small room, swinging the door shut behind them. “I really should be out there entertaining, you know.”

The words weren’t directed at anyone in particular, but Sicheng took the opportunity to jump in. “Entertaining? You provided the alcohol. That is the entertainment.”

The was a chorus of agreement from a few of the boys and Donghyuck sighed before plopping down next to Taeil, taking Yukhei’s spot. The Chinese boy grumbled but sat on the floor nonetheless, leaning his head back onto Donghyuck’s thigh.

Ten stared at their youngest for a moment, watching the way his eyes followed the soft conversation around them. Suddenly, Donghyuck’s eyes were snapping up to his, his hallow cheeks stretching into a small smile. Ten smiled back, leaning over a little and whispering.

“Any word from your parents?” Donghyuck’s smile faltered for a second, but it didn’t fall away completely. The younger boy had been living alone for about a year now, his parents one day deciding they wanted to travel the world. They left him the house, the cars, even the credit cards, but they hadn’t so much as called in months.

“No, but I called Changwoo-hyung. He said they’re fine, happy. Just busy I guess.” Ten nodded at the words but decided not to say anything else. He was surprised he asked in the first place.

He turned his eyes back toward the other seven, noting that Minhyung was practically laying on top of Jaemin, eyes barely open. The sight made him want to scream; it made him want to stand up and throw the untouched beer in his hand and storm out of the room. He didn’t understand how everyone could just ignore it.

“Minhyung.”

The call was quiet, Yuta and Sicheng’s loud conversation about some movie continuing on unbothered. Ten was about to call out again, a little bit more desperate this time, when Taeyong’s arm shot out and landed on his thigh. The younger boy glanced to his side, catching his lover’s eye.

“Ten. Not now.”

The words were stern and the smaller boy grew irritated upon hearing them. He quickly slammed his beer down, standing up and stepping over Yukhei’s outstretched legs as he made toward the door.

He heard Taeyong calling his name, and maybe Donghyuck too, but he didn’t stop. Instead he just pulled open the heavy door and squeezed out of the room.

There were less people lining the walls then before, although a couple were still going strong. Ten ignored them in favor of getting to the front doors.

There were a couple of looks tossed his way, nothing that he wasn’t used to, but he pretended he didn’t see them. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with anyone, let alone some drunk stranger.

The entryway was just as crowded as it had been an hour ago, discarded cups lining every surface. Sweaty bodies were running into him on every side, some touching his hips or waist as he passed. Ten just ignored them, pushing through a couple of girls who were grinding against one another. He didn’t want to smell the liquor and feel the heat anymore. All he wanted was to get outside where he could think; where he could breathe.

The front doors were wide open and Ten threw himself out into the night. There were a few people outside on the huge porch, smoking or talking in little groups, but Ten didn’t spare them too much thought. Instead, he hopped down a couple of the steps, careful not to trip, and sat himself near the bottom. The marble was cold and only then did Ten once again remember that he was barefoot. He really needed to find his shoes.

The air was still rather warm but the night had brought a cool breeze along with it. It swept through Ten’s hair and rattled his exposed arms, drawing goosebumps. It didn’t bother the boy, though. He liked the change of scenery.

“Excuse me. Ten, right?” The words were sudden and Ten jumped a little where he was sitting, eyes snapping up toward the owner of the voice.

It was a man, Ten would guess in his thirties, standing on the same step that the younger boy was sitting on. Ten didn’t recognize him, but the man was smiling as if he should.

“Sorry, you’ve got the wrong guy.” The words rolled off of Ten’s tongue easily, years of practice paying off. He quickly turned his attention back toward the ground, hoping the guy would get a clue and leave just as suddenly as he had come.

A few seconds passed and Ten could still see the man’s shoes out of the corner of his eye, unmoving and sure. He looked up once again.

“Man, like I said, you’ve got the wrong-“

“I’m not stupid.”

Ten flinched at the man’s new tone, scooting away ever so slightly.

“I don’t know what you-“

“How much for an hour?”

Ten gulped, finally understanding what was going on.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not working tonight.” The words were mumbled and Ten had absolutely no idea how the man was going to take them. He wasn’t very tall, but he was bigger than Ten. If things got bad, the younger boy didn’t know if he could overpower him long enough to run away.

The man narrowed his eyes and took a step forward. His jaw was locked and his skin was slick with perspiration. Ten immediately climbed to his feet, backing up into the marble railing.

“You’re a whore, you’re always working. Or should I go back inside and find the other one? He’s younger right? Min-something?” The words were a little rough around the edges and Ten was starting to see the alcohol swimming behind the man’s eyes.

“Don’t fucking talk about him.” The younger didn’t know where the words came from. Normally when clients and strangers said things to him, he would just smile and take it. But Ten really wasn’t in the mood and bringing Minhyung into the picture was crossing a line.

The man smiled and took another step forward. He looked like he was about to reach out and touch the younger when a shout echoed from the entryway.

“Hey!” The man startled for a second, looking around as if he had made the entire thing up. Ten took the distraction as an opportunity to take a couple of steps up and away from him. The man finally located the cause of the sound, furrowing his brow and frowning as he did so.

Taeyong, followed closely by Yuta and Donghyuck, was marching out of the house and down the steps with a fire in his eyes. He didn’t even glance at his boyfriend, instead walking right up to the disgusting man and throwing a punch.

The action shocked Ten, who gasped and had to grab onto the railing again to stop from falling. Donghyuck was next to him in a second, hand on his shoulder.

“He said he wasn’t fucking working!”

The man had gone tumbling backward, yelping as each step dug into a different part of him. Taeyong followed him down, Yuta hot on his heels.

“Hyung!” Ten didn’t know what he wanted Taeyong to do, but the eery look in his eyes wasn’t a good sign. The older ignored him, however, instead grabbing the man up by his collar. He had a gash above his left eyebrow and his nose looked a little crooked, the stairs having done a number on him already. Taeyong ignored this fact, pulling his arm back and swinging once again, watching as the man’s head rolled back on impact.

He hit him again, harder this time. Yuta was standing behind him, daring anyone to try and stop the ordeal. The man shouted out as Taeyong’s fist collided with his temple, his eyes closing suddenly.

“Hyung! That’s enough!” Ten went to run toward the scene, but Donghyuck’s hand tightened ever so slightly on his shoulder. When the older glanced at him, Donghyuck just shook his head. Ten frowned but jerked his shoulder away nonetheless, jogging down the steps until he reached Taeyong. Yuta looked like he wanted to say something, but the glare that Ten sent him was enough to curb his desire.

“Hyung!” The shout wasn’t as loud as before, but the proximity caught the older’s attention. He had landed a couple more punches and the man was nearly unrecognizable to Ten. Taeyong didn’t drop the man’s collar, but he paused in his assault to turn and face his lover.

“Go back inside, Ten.” The words were brash and Ten felt the need to listen to him. He didn’t like disobeying a hyung, especially Taeyong, but he stood his ground despite this.

“No. Let him go.” Ten huffed and Taeyong narrowed his eyes at the words. Ten was almost never so informal.

“I heard what he said to you, what he said about Minhyung. Now go inside.”

“Not without you. It’s over. Let him go.” Ten tried to calm his breathing, to calm the frustration he felt. He needed Taeyong to stop before he accidentally killed the guy.

The narrowed eyes slowly softened at Ten’s request. The younger could see the conflict on Taeyong’s face, knew he wanted to finish the job, consequences be damned. But Taeyong wasn’t that stupid, even if he sometimes acted like he was.

The older boy dropped the man’s collar, letting the back of his head collide with the marble. Ten ignored the sound, instead grabbing Taeyong by the wrist and marching him inside. Yuta followed closely behind while Donghyuck hung back to try to clean up Taeyong’s mess. Ten needed to remember to thank him later.

All eyes were on them as they approached the house. Ten tried to block them out, but it was hard to miss. Fortunately, the party inside was completely unaware of the events unfolding just beyond the door.

They weaved past sweaty bodies, marching through the house until they reached the same room as before. Ten wasn’t very excited to answer the questions waiting behind the heavy door, but he turned the knob anyway.

Jaemin jumped up upon seeing Taeyong’s bloodied hands being dragged along by a sour looking Ten.

“What the hell? What happened?” The others all quickly turned, matching looks of shock and concern painting their faces. Ten ignored them, pulling Taeyong until they were behind the bar and in front of the sink. The younger grabbed a clean rag and ran it under warm water, trying to focus on anything except for what the hell he was supposed to say. Luckily, Yuta spoke up first.

“Some guy wouldn’t leave Ten alone. We handled it.” Yuta’s brief description left the others looking more confused than before, but he didn’t offer anything else up.

Taeyong hissed as Ten began running the rag over scraped knuckles, clearing away both Taeyong’s blood, as well as the man’s. It made Ten sick to his stomach, but he couldn’t lie to himself. He was glad they had shown up when they did. Clients like that were hard, and Ten didn’t think he was ready to deal with one like that again; not since the last time.

“What do you mean you handled it?” Ten looked up upon hearing Taeil’s voice, surprised to find him functioning again. The oldest still looked drowsy, but his pupils weren’t as large as before. The younger considered it a good sign.

“What do you think?” Taeyong growled the words as Taeil turned his attention toward him. There were tiny splatters of blood along Taeyong’s cheeks and jaw, and Ten closed his eyes when he saw them, dropping Taeyong’s hand altogether.

“Donghyuck’s dealing with it. Just drop it for now.” Yuta sat down heavily, Sicheng immediately leaning into him and running a delicate hand through his hair. Yuta smiled lightly but didn’t say anything.

A sudden though occurred to Ten as he tried to regain his composure and finish cleaning his lover’s hands.

“Yuta-hyung, what were you and Donghyuck doing out there anyway?” Ten understood why Taeyong had followed him, and could see why Donghyuck might as well, but Yuta? It would have made more sense for Sicheng to go running after him.

Ten stared at the older boy, waiting for an answer. The others glanced between the two, seemingly curious as well. Yuta looked up, a solemn and contemplative look adorning his face. It confused Ten, and he wasn’t sure what to expect from Yuta’s answer.

The older glanced between him and Taeyong, eyes worried.

“Well?” Ten spoke informally once again, catching himself by surprise. 

Yuta shot him a look at the rudeness, but chose to ignore it otherwise.

“Taeyong stormed out of here pretty pissed. I didn’t know what he was thinking, so I followed. You are both drunk, I figured nothing good would come of-“

Taeyong slammed his hand against the bar top, eyes wide and angry.

“You thought I was going to hurt him?” The shout was way too loud for such a small room and Ten watched as both Minhyung and Taeil jumped. Ten himself felt the need to scoot away, but considering Taeyong’s current state, he figured it would do more harm than good. Rather, he gritted his teeth and looked at Yuta’s guilty expression, unsure what to think about it.

“No, Taeyong, but I just wanted to make sure nothing got out of hand. You would have done the same if it was me storming after Sicheng!” The words were true, and Ten was suddenly extremely glad that Yuta was his friend. All the older wanted to do was look out for him; for both of them.

Taeyong looked like he wanted to argue, like he was searching for the words, but they were slow to come and the door was opening once again. Donghyuck sulked inside, limbs heavy and eyes full of exhaustion. Ten felt bad for him.

“Police came and picked the guy up. Told them everything was in self-defense and that he had been assaulting someone, which he had. Everything is fine now.” The youngest muttered the words as he plopped himself down on one of the couches, grabbing the closest beer and popping it open.

Nobody said anything for a second, processing the words a few times over. Ten silently hoped nobody asked what assaulting constituted as.

“How’d you manage that without getting the party raided?” Jaemin asked the question quietly, genuinely curious. Donghyuck just breathed out an airy laugh, pulling out his wallet and holding it up.

“There is nothing money can’t buy, hyung.” Yukhei snorted at that, leaning back against the couch, trying to relax once again. Jaemin didn’t laugh, however, instead shifting his eyes between the wallet and Donghyuck’s tired face.

“Thank you.” Ten piped up from behind the bar, keeping his eyes down as he continued with cleaning Taeyong’s bloody knuckles. It was quiet and embarrassed, but he said it nonetheless.

Donghyuck just smiled, nodded, and took another long sip of his beer.

Ten finally finished cleaning his boyfriend’s hands. After examining them and finding all of the cuts to be shallow, he threw the rag in the sink and walked over to the couch Donghyuck was resting on. He squeezed in next to him, and the younger scooted over accordingly. Taeyong stayed standing at the sink, eyes fanning over the entire room, trying to understand what happened next.

It was close to three in the morning by then, everyone feeling the effects of a long day and an even longer night. Ten knew they would all be crashing there, everyone way too far gone to go home. That’s how it always was, every Saturday night.

Each week, the drinks got stronger, the words got harsher, and the smiles got weaker. Ten wasn’t sure when they had started pretending around each other, but they had, masquerading behind drugs and money that wasn’t theres.

Everything had gotten so much harder.

**Author's Note:**

> leave kudos + comments!! <33


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